“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

LEANING on the LORD and not our own understanding is something we must learn. We cannot “please him” if we don’t (Hebrews 11:6). Doing His Word is leaning on and trusting Him. One vital component of trusting God is realizing that GOD ONLY requires that we do with what we have, not with what we don’t have.

SOMETIMES THOSE WHO TRULY FEAR GOD WANT TO DO MORE. YET, God requires that we give out of what He has currently given us and nothing more. Paul quotes Deuteronomy when he writes: “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted ACCORDING to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” (2 Corinthians 8:12)

God surely is watching every bit of our stewardship and does requires us to give – but only out of what we have. Some choose to give even though they themselves are in “deep poverty.” (2 Corinthians 8:1-2)

Getting More Seed from God

When we obey God with what He has given to us, He promised to add more understanding and perhaps resources to us to be faithful over. Jesus promised to give more to those who are faithful with what He has currently given them:

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21

INSTEAD of giving out of what God has currently chosen to entrust them with, so many wrongly reason that “IF one day I have more money, I will give.” In other words they are saying that “one day when I have enough money that a little giving won’t hurt ME then and only then will I give us my ‘security’ and what I am really trusting in (money) and give a little bit.”

The disciples at Macedonia gave while in poverty themselves. They didn’t wait till they had lavish riches. Most of us never will be rich in this fleeting life anyway and so we are wasting precious opportunity by passing over the privilege to give out of what He has already given into our temporary possession.

Watch what the Macedonian believers joyfully did out of their own “deep poverty”:

“…the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality (generosity).” 2 Corinthians 8:1-2

The Macedonians demonstrated great generosity in their own “deep poverty.”

The widow who gave all was honored by Christ because she gave while she herself lacked. She gave all (Mark 12:41-44). And that means that she left nothing behind to trust in. She was forced to do what God requires to please Him – trust Him. “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

You see, they are not being faithful right where they are with what God has given them and therefore they will not be trusted with greater riches. Perhaps if they gave more now, the LORD would find them faithful and grant them more to give. Didn’t He tell us that He “minstereth seed to the sower”? (2 Corinthians 9:6-11) In other words, God gives more seed to the one who sows what they have already been given. What seed do you have to give? Money? Clothes and shoes you don’t need? Properties? Food? Watch what the earliest followers of Jesus did when Christ saved them and test the fruit of your life against this:

“And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. … And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. … 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35

“Wait a minute. Where is this in the Bible, being of one heart and soul? I never even hear this in the church. Sure churches say love one another but they leave it open for subjective interpretation , and they certainly don’t suggest drastic measures such as this in selling and redistribution of wealth. Isn’t it enough just to ‘love’ someone and wish them well, ‘be warm and be fed and peace be with you’?” Mark Heatherly

Now that you have been given the knowledge of His truth concerning stewardship, what will you do with it? Will you crassly go about your life, or, will you be obedient to the One who gave all you presently have in your possession? Will He find you faithful enough to entrust you with more?

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22

Those who pretend to be “getting around to obeying” are utterly deceiving their own selves. The LORD desires “do it now” servants.

Being a doer of God’s Word is essential to pleasing Him. Mere lip service or intention are vain mockery, disobedience, and hypocrisy.

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

Beloved, is the LORD prompting you to “lean not unto thine own understanding.” but rather to, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”? (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Stewardship

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